The search has gone nuclear because most media outlets are reporting that Kentucky has just given the deed to the City of Lexington and 14 coal mines to Memphis Coach John Calipari. Reports place the value of the deal at $5-6.5 million per year. I think the technical term for a deal that large is "a shit load of money."

Per TigerSportsReport.com the Tigers would almost definitely lose unsigned commit Demario Cousins, a top 2 player in the country, and others. The site's editor feels that Memphis would be unable to lure Mike Anderson back to Conference USA from the Big 12 due to the lack of prestige and anticipated player departures. Per their site:

"If Calipari goes to Kentucky, who are on the short list to coach Memphis?

Memphis fans on the Commercial Appeal message board are clamoring already for Mike Anderson, the former UAB head coach who took Missouri to the Elite Eight this season.

That is highly unlikely, however. With seven scholarship players and a sour taste after Calipari leaving, the situation at Memphis would be a lateral move, at best, for Anderson. As he would be leaving the Big 12 for C-USA, it is realistically a step backwards for the highly regarded Anderson."

In barely news, FoxSports.com is reporting that UVA is set to hire Washington State's Phil Tony Bennett as their coach. ESPN now has the same story. The UVA search is interesting because I'm pretty sure that Parker Executive Search ran it for the Hoos, and they kept their process just as quiet as Damon has kept ours. Could a similarly out of left field, but absolutely qualified candidate emerge if the Mike Anderson talks collapse?

You think things are nuts now? Wait til tomorrow.

UPDATE: Yes. I've heard the rumor that there's a press conference on Wednesday. I do not believe that such an event is currently scheduled because my sources tell me we do NOT have a done deal. If we have a press conference on Wednesday, it's just coincidence. I also know about the rumored note to the UGA pep band asking them to be ready for a press conference, but I understand that there was no actual date on the note.

the UGA pep band definitely did get an email. all that was said essentially was that we will have a press conference, likely within a week's time. since it's monday... i'd say it's probably this week sometime.

rbubp you're forgetting one minor detail.... No one is saying that Anderson is unhappy at Memphis. Just because we can offer more money doesn't mean he uproots his family & the nephew who just transferred there to play for him to take on a project the size of UGA Hoops.

This dude is off his rocker:"The Dawgs are never going to be Duke or UNC with a host of McDonald’s All Americans filling the roster. What they have to be is tougher than the other teams they play and willing to put their bodies on the line."

Well, duh, of course that's true now...but this kind of thinking, that we will never be able to recruit the best in the country, is dangerously small.

UVA got the right hire. I do not know if Bennett will succeed at UVA, because UVA is about like us, except they have to play in the ACC, but he is the best young coach in the country. I really wish we had gone after him. I am very worried that we will go through a string of public turn-downs and wind up with Bobby Knight, or worse.

If it's Hamilton, DE should be fired. Calling Hamilton a "committment" to anything other than cellar dwelling would be criminal. That would mean another five to six year setback. It makes me sick to my stomach to hear Leonard Hamilton and the UGA job linked.

Anon. 9:32: Much like rbubp stated: SARCASM! If you took 32 seconds and read the entire post, it is possible, not likely, but possible, that you would have understood. The 1st hint was that Coach K spent the entire day in Athens. Maybe you should be our next coach!

I think we're going to wind up getting Tubby back. I know that PWD wrote an article about how he was "going out of his way to let Minnesota fans know that he's staying," but I've heard from a solid source that Tubby (or perhaps his agent) has actually reached out to the Georgia Athletic Department. I wish we could pull down Anderson, but I just don't think it will happen. However, I think everyone would agree that Tubby would be a hell of a plan B.

Great point on Bennett/UVa Paul. And I've said it before, I'll say it again, a guy like Reggie Theus or Sam Mitchell makes sense at Memphis (among other openings). Why are neither of these guys getting any interest, especially with names like Leonard freakin Hamilton floating about? Seriously, I'd curl into the fetal position and shed tears for hours if he's the choice.

I'm glad you spent all that time coming up with reasons why Georgia can't compete for the services of a premier coach.

If we were basing the feasibility of luring a top-notch candidate to UGA based solely on W's/L's or "tournament metrics," surely no coach would ever consider packing his bags for Athens.

That being said, anyone looking to further his/her career would be ignorant not to consider the positive attributes of a legitimate opening. Moreover, a coach wouldn't be doing his due diligence if he were to ignore the PROSPECT of building an elite program. This prospectus is made up of a number of components, not just program history, and I would expect someone of your "basketball IQ" to recognize this. Your unfounded animosity and is blocking any perspective.

I'll leave you with a couple of thoughts: 1. Compared to where the UGA basketball program is now, is there another opening that has a larger gap between the current status and a possible ceiling? 2. Would the possibility of a $1.5 million raise be alluring to you?